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PETALING JAYA − The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) have denied making a U-turn in the appointment of head coach Kim Pan-Gon as the Harimau Malaya team manager.
FAM secretary-general Mohd Saifuddin Abu Bakar confirmed that the newly appointed head coach also holds the post of team manager.
He said Pan-Gon’s name was not listed in the team manager’s column of the players’ starting list during the Tier-1 international friendly against the Philippines yesterday due to some system glitch in the Football Association of Singapore (FAS).
Earlier, questions arose when assistant team manager Datuk Kamarul Ariffin Mohd Shahar’s name appeared instead in the team manager’s column of the players’ starting list for the Harimau Malaya’s FAS Tri-Nations Series 2022 match against the Philippines at the Singapore National Stadium.
“Yes, we spotted it… it’s true that Pan-Gon is the head coach as well as team manager while Datuk Kamarul Ariffin Mohd Shahar is the assistant manager.
“The starting list was prepared by the FAS and they had Kamarul Ariffin’s name in the space meant for the team manager. We couldn’t change either the name nor the post. It’s not like we decided to change (the team manager)… no,” he told a media conference after the executive committee meeting at Wisma FAM today.
The Harimau Malaya − playing under coach Pan-Gon for the first time − beat the Philippines 2-0 courtesy of Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rasid’s brace in the third and 24th minutes.
The Harimau Malaya will take on hosts Singapore on Saturday before rounding up their series of friendlies in Singapore, which is also part of their preparations for the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers, by taking on local club side Albirex Niigata FC on Monday.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said FAM have yet to make a decision on Sabah FC defender Mohd Rizal Mohd Ghazali, who failed to report for duty at the national centralised training camp on March 14.
“We need a little more time because the decision we make must be fair to the player and to us. For now, we can’t give a final decision,” he said.
According to previous media reports, Rizal could be suspended from playing in the domestic league as well as fined RM25,000 for rejecting the national team call-up. – Bernama, March 24, 2022